Copier apparatus and method with flexible source document entry scanning with display of options for selection of source

Abstract

A copier apparatus and method includes a scanning station for electronically scanning a set of document sheets to be copied as a copy job. The scanning station includes a platen or glass for supporting a document sheet scanned in a first mode wherein the document sheet is manually positioned on the platen by an operator and the scanning station operates in a second mode wherein document sheets are automatically fed to the station by a feeder. An operator control panel includes a display for indicating options for selection by an operator. These options include selection for scanning of a document sheet from the set in the first mode or the second mode. Another option available allows the operator to identify that all document sheets of the set are scanned for this copy job. A controller is responsive to signals generated pursuant to selections for actuating the scanning station to scan document sheets from the set in the first and second modes. After scanning a document sheet in the first mode, the operator control panel again indicates on the display an option allowing selection for scanning of a next document sheet from the set in the first mode or the second mode. Copying off the glass in an express glass mode is also disclosed. In this mode, a document sheet that is prepositioned on the glass, say during startup, may be automatically scanned at the appropriate time after the scanner first scans document sheets fed by the feeder. After scanning the document sheet on the glass and without further interaction by the operator, the process of feeding document sheets to the scanner resumes. After scanning of the document sheets, a writer produces a copy of the scanned document set as a copy job.

We claim: 
     
       1. A copier apparatus comprising: means including a scanning station for electronically scanning a set of document sheets to be copied as a copy job, the scanning station including a platen for supporting a document sheet to be scanned in a first mode wherein the document sheet is manually positioned on the platen by an operator and the scanning station including means for scanning document sheets in a second mode wherein document sheets are automatically fed;   feeder means for automatically feeding seriatim document sheets to the scanning station for scanning document sheets in the second mode;   recording means for copying images of said document sheets;   an operator control panel including display means for displaying an option for selection by an operator for scanning from the platen a document sheet from said set that is manually positioned on the platen and displaying an option for selection by an operator for scanning document sheets from said set using the feeder means and generating signals in response to selections of scanning of certain of said document sheets in said set using said first mode and other document sheets in said set using said second mode; and   control means responsive to a signal actuating said scanning station for scanning said document sheet in said first mode and for controlling said operator control panel to again display on said display means an option allowing selection by an operator for scanning from the platen a next document sheet from said set that is manually positioned on the platen and displaying an option for selection by an operator for scanning document sheets from said set using the feeder means, said control means including means for actuating said recording means in response to said selections for producing a copy of said document set as a copy job.   
     
     
       2. The apparatus of claim 1 and including means for enabling said display means to display an option allowing the operator to identify that all document sheets of said set are scanned for this copy job. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of claim 2 and including means for generating a signal in response to an input by an operator that represents that all document sheets of said set have been scanned and means responsive to said signal to preclude additional document sheets to be scanned as part of the copy job. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of claim 3 and wherein said display means displays an option allowing selection of a first document sheet from said set to be scanned in said first mode. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of claim 3 and wherein a display of an option for scanning in said first mode is generated in response to a key sheet fed by said feeder means. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of claim 1 and wherein said display means displays an option allowing selection of a first document sheet from said set to be scanned in said first mode. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of claim 6 and including means for enabling said display means to display an option allowing the operator to identify that all document sheets of said set are scanned for this copy job. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of claim 1 and wherein a display of an option for scanning in said first mode is generated in response to a key sheet fed by said feeder means. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of claim 1 and wherein in response to scanning of said document sheets in said set said recording means produces collated copies of said document set as a copy job. 
     
     
       10. A copier apparatus comprising: means including a scanning station for electronically scanning a set of document sheets to be copied as a copy job, the scanning station including a platen for supporting a document sheet to be scanned in a first mode wherein the document sheet is manually positioned on the platen by an operator and the scanning station including means for scanning document sheets in a second mode wherein document sheets are automatically fed;   feeder means for automatically feeding seriatim document sheets to the scanning station for scanning document sheets in the second mode;   recording means for copying images of said document sheets;   an operator control panel including display means for displaying options including displaying an option for selection by an operator for scanning from the platen at least one of said document sheets of said set that is manually positioned on the platen and displaying an option for selection by an operator for scanning of document sheets of said set using the feeder means and displaying an option allowing the operator to identify that all document sheets of said set are scanned for this copy job;   means responsive to operator inputs in response to display of said options for generating signals representing selections by said operator to said options; and   control means responsive to said signals for actuating said scanning station for scanning said document sheets in said first mode and said second mode and for actuating said recording means for producing collated copies of said document set as a copy job.   
     
     
       11. The apparatus of claim 10 and including means for generating a signal in response to an input by an operator that represents that all document sheets of said set have been scanned and means responsive to said signal to preclude additional document sheets to be scanned as part of the copy job. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of claim 10 and wherein said display means displays an option allowing selection of a first document sheet from said set to be scanned in said first mode. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of claim 10 and wherein a display of an option for scanning in said first mode is generated in response to a key sheet fed by said feeder means. 
     
     
       14. A method for copying document sheets comprising: electronically scanning a set of document sheets to be copied as a copy job, the scanning being performed both in a first mode wherein a document sheet of said set is manually positioned on a platen by an operator and in a second mode wherein document sheets are automatically fed;   displaying on a display options for selection by an operator including displaying a first opfion for selection for scanning from the platen a document sheet from said set that is manuallv positioned on the platen and displaying a second option for selection by an operator for scanning of document sheets of said set using automatic feeding and generating a signal in response to selection of scanning of said document sheet in accordance with said first option;   in response to said signal scanning said document sheet in said first mode and again displaying an option allowing selection for scanning of a next document sheet from said set in said first mode or said second mode, and   in response to selections from said options producing a copy of said document set as a copy job.   
     
     
       15. The method of claim 14 and including displaying an option allowing the operator to identify that all document sheets of said set are scanned for this copy job; and generating a signal in response to an input by an operator that represents that all document sheets of said set have been scanned and in response to said signal precluding additional document sheets to be scanned as part of the copy job.   
     
     
       16. The method of claim 15 and wherein one of said options allows selection of a first document sheet from said set to be scanned in said first mode. 
     
     
       17. The method of claim 16 and wherein a display of an option for scanning in said first mode is generated in response to a key sheet fed by said feeder means. 
     
     
       18. The method of claim 14 and wherein one of said options allows selection of a first document sheet from said set to be scanned in said first mode. 
     
     
       19. The method of claim 18 and including displaying an option allowing the operator to identify that all document sheets are scanned for this copy job; and generating a signal in response to an input by an operator that represents that all document sheets of said set have been scanned and in response to said signal precluding additional document sheets to be scanned as part of the copy job.   
     
     
       20. The method of claim 14 and wherein a displaying of an option for scanning in said first mode is generated in response to a key sheet that is automatically fed. 
     
     
       21. The method of claim 14 and wherein in response to scanning of said document sheets in said set there is produced collated copies of said document set as a copy job. 
     
     
       22. A method for copying document sheets comprising: electronically scanning a set of document sheets to be copied as a copy job, the scanning being performed both in a first mode wherein a document sheet is manually positioned on the platen by an operator and in a second mode wherein document sheets are automatically fed;   displaying options on a displav for selection by an operator including displayina first option for selection by an operator for scanning from the platen at least one of said document sheets that is manually positioned on the platen and displaying a second option for selection by an operator for scanning of document sheets of said set using automatic feeding and displaying a third option allowing the operator to identify that all document sheets of said set are scanned for this copy job;   in response to operator inputs, that are in response to display of said options, generating signals representing selections by said operator to said options; and   in response to said signals scanning said document sheets in said first mode and said second mode and producing collated copies of said document set as a copy job.   
     
     
       23. The method of claim 22 and including generating a signal in response to an input by an operator that represents that all document sheets of said set have been scanned and in response to said signal precluding additional document sheets to be scanned as part of the copy job. 
     
     
       24. The method of claim 22 and wherein one of said options allows selection of a first document sheet from said set to be scanned in said first mode. 
     
     
       25. The method of claim 22 and wherein a display of an option for scanning in said first mode is generated in response to a key sheet being automatically fed. 
     
     
       26. A copier apparatus comprising: means including a scanning station for electronically scanning a set of document sheets to be copied as a copy job, the scanning station including a platen for supporting a document sheet to be scanned in a first mode wherein the document sheet is manually positioned on the platen by an operator and the scanning station including scanning means for scanning document sheets in a second mode wherein document sheets are automatically fed;   feeder means for automatically feeding seriatim document sheets to the scanning station for scanning document sheets in the second mode;   recording means for copying images of said document sheets of said set for producing collated copies of said document set as a copy job;   means for indicating an option for selection by an operator of an operating mode wherein a document sheet from said set is prepositioned on said platen and is scanned automatically between document sheets of said set that are scanned in said second mode and generating a signal in response to selection of said operating mode; and   control means responsive to said signal for actuating said feeder means for feeding document sheets from said set to said scanning station and for actuating said scanning means to scan document sheets fed to said scanning station, said control means including means for automatically and without operator intervention interrupting feeding of document sheets to said scanning station by said feeder means and for automatically and without operator intervention commencing a scan of the document sheet prepositioned on said platen and for automatically and without operator intervention recommencing feeding of document sheets to said scanning station by said feeder means.   
     
     
       27. A method for electronically scanning a set of document sheets to be copied as a copy job, the scanning being performed in a first mode wherein a document sheet is manually positioned on a platen by an operator and in a second mode wherein document sheets are automatically fed, the method comprising the steps of: displaying an option for selection by an operator of an operating mode wherein a document sheet from said set is prepositioned on said platen and is scanned automatically between document sheets of said set that are scanned in said second mode and generating a signal in response to selection of said operating mode; and,   in response to said signal, feeding document sheets from said set for scanning the document sheets electronically and automatically and without operator intervention:   (a) interrupting feeding of document sheets,   (b) commencing a scan of the document sheet prepositioned on said platen, and   (c) recommencing feeding of document sheets for scanning.   
     
     
       28. The method of claim 27 in combination with the step of, after scanning each document sheet once for image information thereon, producing collated copies of said set of document sheets as a copy job.